Method and apparatus for applying carriers onto containers

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to improvements in container carrier applicators and more particularly to apparatus for and methods of applying to containers, carriers of the type comprising a sheet of stretchable or elastic material having at least one container accommodating opening provided therein. The apparatus disclosed herein comprises a stationary platelike base section and a pair of reciprocable sections associated therewith, having a plurality of pins arranged in predetermined spaced relation. Handles pivotally mounted on the stationary base section serve to control the reciprocation of the pin carrying sections and consequently the stretching of the carrier material.

METHOD OF FORMING ENVELOPES HAVING INSERTS 'IIIEREIN FROM A MOVING BLANII WEE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a method for the formation of envelopes and more particularly, to a method for the formation of envelopes having an insert enclosed therein during said formation process wherein said envelopes having inserts therein are formed from a continuously advanced moving blank web of paper or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is often necessary to form several thousand or more substantially identical pieces of mail comprising envelopes having identical insert materials enclosed therein. In the past, it has been the practice to either form the inserts and envelopes at separate locations and thereafter, assemble the completed package of envelope and insert at a place remote from the manufacture of either component. It has also been proposed to first form the insert material and then fold an envelope blank thereover in a continuous process operated, more or less, along a line. For example, U.S. Pat-No. 3,457,696 discloses a method for enclosing material in a mailing piece wherein insert materials are layed upon a preformed, precut envelope blank which is then folded in a predetermined manner and glued along certain lines to form a mailing package comprising an envelope having an insert therein. That method, however, has certain disadvantages in that it requires the use of carefully precut envelope blanks which must be partially gummed and dried before contact with the insert material. Moreover, the blanks employed in that process must be first prepared and stacked in an overlapping stepped position from which they are drawn in a sequential manner to singularly pass to the insert-receiving and folding stages. This step, of course, requires complicated attendant or auxiliary equipment.

U.S. Pat. No. Re. 25,961 teaches a similar process in which an envelope is formed over insert materials by folding the flaps of an envelope blank downwardly, rather than upwardly, over the insert material. While both of the latter processes represent a great improvement over inserting material in a completed envelope, neither represents a truly continuous process for forming an envelope having an insert therein, as each requires the use of a precut and pregummed envelope blank.

I provide a process for forming envelopes having inserts therein from a moving blank web. The process is performed along a line and requires little or no auxiliary or attendant apparatus outside that line.

Moreover, I provide a method of forming envelopes having inserts therein which does not require the formation of precut or pregummed envelope blanks. Nor does my method require the preliminary application and drying of adhesives to a preformed envelope blank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, my method for forming envelopes having inserts therein from a continuous moving blank web comprises advancing the web at a preselected forward speed, cutting said moving web along its outer edges at selected, spaced intervals to form side flaps therein, placing on said moving web between said side flaps insert materials in overlying, contacting relationship therewith, maintaining said insert materials in overlying contacting relationship with the moving web, folding the side flaps upwardly and inwardly into overlying relationship on the insert materials, gumming the folded side flaps or a portion of the web adjacent the side flaps and thereafter, cutting the moving web transversely of its direction of travel at selected spaced intervals to form bottom and closure flaps therein, folding the bottom flap into overlying, contacting relationship with the side flaps in a manner that the bottom flap adheres to the folded side flaps, gumming the closure flap and folding it into overlying, contacting relationship with the bottom flap to form an envelope having insert materials sealed therein.

My invention will be further understood and other details and advantages thereof will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings of certain preferred embodiments thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation schematic ofmy method.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the steps followed in preparing envelopes having inserts therein from a moving blank web according to my invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It should be understood that the tools and apparatus required for, e.g., cutting and scoring the web, applying adhesive thereto, folding and stacking, etc. do not constitute a part of my invention, which comprises novel methods of forming envelopes having inserts therein. Such tools and apparatus may be conventional and are hence not illustrated or described in detail.

Referring now to the Figures, a continuous web I such as a paper web, which is supplied from a supply reel, (not shown) is advanced in the direction indicated by the arrows at a preselected or predetermined speed. Web I is advanced to the station designated generally A where panels or windows are cut into the moving web. This may be seen more clearly by reference to FIG. 2 which shows generally the processing of the web per se as it proceeds through the novel methods of my invention. Web I having a panel (or window) 2 cut therein is then advanced to the station designated B wherein a transparent patch is placed over the window 2 and glued there in a conventional manner. Any desired number of windows may be cut into web I in this manner and, of course, both stations A and B may be eliminated in the case that no windows are required in the finished product.

Web I having patch 3 over panel 2 is next advanced to the station designated generally C where marginal cuts are made therein to form a series of side flaps 4 along the edge portions of the moving web. Side flaps 4 are formed in web I by conventional cutting equipment. I prefer that rotary cutting equipment be employed so as to facilitate continuous operation of my process.

At station C preliminary fold lines may be scored on moving web I about which lines side flaps 4 may be folded at a point later in my process. The preliminary fold lines may be formed with conventional equipment such as a rotary scoring tool .cooperating with an elastic counterroller located beneath that scoring tool. Such preliminary fold lines serve to facilitate the later final folding of the scored web. Likewise, at this stage of the operation, it may be convenient to print any desired matter on the moving web.

Moving web I is next advanced and passes to a station designated generally D. Station D is an inserting station wherein one or more inserts 5 is placed in overlying contact with the web between its side flaps I. Inserting station D may comprise conventional equipment but preferably it is as illustrated in FIG. I in simplified form comprising a pair of offset rollers 6 and 7 adapted to engage and advance web I through tangential contact therewith. Offset rollers 6 and 7 engaging moving web I are operably connected in timed relationship with conveyor means designated generally I for conveying and directing inserts 5 to the area of contact between rollers 6 and 7. Inserts 5 are thereby placed in overlying contacting relationship with moving web I between flaps 4.

Moving web I having inserts 5 in overlying, contacting relationship therewith between side flaps A is advanced then to the station designated generally E in the Figures. There, side flaps A are folded upwardly and inwardly into overlying contacting relationship with respect to insert 5. A suitable conventional folding tool may be employed in the folding of the side flaps 4.

WENIEU DECZI ma SHEET 3 BF 3 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS ONTO CONTAENEIRS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Container carriers of the type with which the present invention is concerned are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,835 and Pat. application Ser. No. 885,792, filed Dec. 17, 1969. Such cam'ers consist of a sheet of stretchable or elastic plastic material having one or a plurality of container accommodating openings arranged in predetermined spaced relation. While apparatus has heretofore been employed for automatically applying to the upper extremity of as many as six containers or cans, a single carrier sheet having a like number of can accommodating openings, it has been found extremely difficult to manually assemble an individual container or can with such openings.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods whereby the individual application of a container to one of a plurality of openings in a stretchable carrier sheet is greatly facilitated.

More specifically the present invention contemplates improved apparatus and methods whereby the container accommodating openings in a carrier sheet may be altered in shape preliminary to the telescopic association therewith of a complementarily shaped container or can whereby to facilitate such association.

The present invention further contemplates improved apparatus and methods, as above referred to, whereby a plurality of container accommodating openings may be subjected simultaneously to a change in shape to facilitate subsequent manual telescopic association therewith of individual containers.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of six containers or cans which have in operative association therewith, a stretchable sheet plastic carrier of the type with which the present invention is concerned;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary inverted side elevational view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the container carrier of FIG. 11, prior to the assembly thereof with a plurality of containers;

FIG. 4 is transverse, vertical, sectional view of the carrier applying device taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the carrier applying device, with a carrier member shown in association therewith prior to being stretched into the container accommodating shape;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the carrier applying device ofFlG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the reciprocable pin carrying sections in their position of maximum separation with the container carrier conditioned for manual telescopic association therewith of the upper end of an inverted container or can;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 7, showing cans in assembled relation with the carrier member; and,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the container or can of the upper left-hand corner of FIG. 8, with the carrier stretching pin detached from the carrier so as to permit the carrier in that vicinity to spring into conforming impingement with the can periphery immediately adjacent the upper bead of the can.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures it will be seen that the numeral 10, generally denotes a container or can carrier of the type contemplated by the present invention, FIG. 3. The container carrier 10 preferably comprises a flat sheet of elastic or stretchable material such as sheet plastic stock 12, provided with a plurality of container accommodating openings M.

Margins 16, of the sheet material 112, define the openings 14. Spaced finger receiving apertures 18 provide means of manually gripping the carrier ill), when said carrier is associated with a plurality of containers or cans 20 as shown clearly in FIG. l.

The area defined by the openings M, before assembly with the can 20, is less than the area of the upper extremity of the can. Hence, in order to telescopically associate the upper end of the can 20, with a complementary opening M, the margin 16 defining the opening must be stretched.

While apparatus is available for automatically pressing a carrier such as the carrier into telescopic association with six cans simultaneously; to accomplish such assembly by manual manipulation would be extremely difficult if not impossible. Hence the present invention contemplates very simple, yet practical apparatus and methods which make it possible manually to telescopically assemble containers such as cans individually with each opening. In this connection attention is now directed to a container carrier applying device designated generally by the numeral 22, FIGS. 5 and 6.

The device 22 includes a stationary base section 24 of platelike construction adapted to be supported in a horizontal position by foot member 26. Reciprocably mounted upon the base section are sections or bars 28 and 30 extending transversely of the elongate, stationary base section 24. Reciprocation may be imparted to the crossbars or sections 28 and 30 manually and independently through the agency of handles 32 and 34 respectively, pivotally mounted upon the base section 24. The lower extremity of the handle 32 is coupled with the central portion of a crossbar 36 by a rod 38 and linkage 40, the rod 38 being slidably guided within a bushing member 42. The opposite side of the bar 36 is coupled with the reciprocable section or bar 30 by a pair of laterally spaced rods 56. These rods 56 are slidably supported by a transverse member 46, fixed to the upper side of the base section 24. The rods 56 also extend through and are relatively shiftable with respect to the crossbar or section 28. Thus, as the handle 32 is shifted between the solid and dotted line positions FIG. 6, reciprocation will be imparted to the section 30.

The lower extremity of the handle 34% is coupled with the central position of a transverse bar 48 by a rod 50 and linkage 52, the rod 418 being slidably guided within a bushing member 54. The opposite side of the bar 48 is coupled with the reciprocable section 28 by a pair of laterally spaced rods 44. These rods 44, like the previously mentioned rods 56 extend through and are slidably supported by the transverse frame member 46. The rods 44 also extend through and are slidable with respect to the section 30. It will be apparent from the foregoing that movement of the handle 34 in opposite directions imparts reciprocation to the section 28.

The reciprocable section 28 carries a plurality of upwardly projecting pins 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 28a and 28f, and the section 30 likewise carries a plurality of similar pins 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, Elle and 30 Assume that the handles 32 and 34 have been shifted so as to occupy the positions shown in FIG. 5. In this position the container carrier Ill may be placed over the pins 28a-28f and Mia-30f. Thus a pair of pins is in juxtaposition with respect to spaced stock associated with said margins will partially encircle the peripheries of their respective or complementary pins, with the margins l6 facing downwardly. By shifting the handles 32 and 34 so as to move the sections 23 and 30 away from each other from the position shown in FIG. 5, to the position illustrated in FIG. '7, the carrier stock 12 will be stretched and the shape of the openings 14, will be altered materially. In this changed condition, the openings M will more readily accommodate a manually inserted top portion of an inverted can 20. It will be noted for example, that in this stretched condition, portion (A) of the sheet stock is stretched to such an extent that its lateral yieldability is greatly facilitated. As a result, the entering peripheral surface of a can will readily flex the portion (A) to the dot and dash position shown in FIG. 7. Likewise portions (B) are stretched so as to materially facilitate the lateral yieldability and thus permit lateral flexing as indicated by dot and dash lines. As will also be observed in FIG. 7, portions (C) and (D) are stretched to such an extent that resistance to external forces is greatly reduced. The openings 14 also experience an increase in size and circumferential extent.

From the foregoing it will be clear that when the carrier stock is in the above-mentioned stretched condition the upper extremity of an inverted container such as the can 20, may be lowered into one of the openings and pressed laterally against one of the stretched portions as for example, the portion (A), and then rolled into engagement with the portion (B). In this manner a can 20 may be telescopically associated with each complementary opening 14 until all of the openings have been filled. As the unlined cans and carrier are lifted from the pins, the bead 58 of each can functions as an abutment and the sheet material surrounding the openings spring into firm impingement with the can periphery immediately adjacent the can bead. In FIG. 8, the cans 20 are shown in final association with the carrier just prior to the removal of the carrier and the six cans associated therewith. It will also be noted that a fixed rib 46a projecting upwardly from the crossbar or member 46 serves as a central support for the underside of the carrier 10. The arrangement of the linkage 40 is such that the sections 28 and 30 are locked in their positions of maximum separation shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. in this position the handles 32 and 34 occupy the horizontal position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 6. This permits the user to insert the cans while in this locked position. Upon slight movement of the sections 28 and 30 toward each other, the pins, such as the pins 28a and 28b will occupy the positions shown in FIG. 9, thereby facilitating the ease of removal of the carrier 10 and six associated cans 20 from the pins.

To limit the spacing between the rib 46a and the shiftable sections 28 and 30, spacer sleeves 58 and 60 are employed. The sleeves 58 are slidably mounted upon the rods 44 and the spacer sleeves 60 are slidably supported by the rods 56. It has been found advisable to form the pins 28a-28f and the pins 30a-30 with upper sections of smaller diameter than the lower sections thereof. A portion of the lower sections may be peripherally removed to permit the cans 20 associated therewith to be positioned so that the bead of each can is located below the pin portion of smaller diameter. This assumes the ultimate positioning of the carrier stock above the can bead when the completely filled carrier is removed from the pins.

Methods and apparatus contemplated hereby serve to render practical the manual assembly of containers such as beaded cans, with carriers of the type disclosed herein. Thus, the teachings of the present invention enable the user to accomplish manual assembly in instances where relatively large and expensive automatic assembly equipment is either not available, or the use thereof is not financially feasible. Also the operation of the above-described device requires minimum skill and effort. Where the speed of an automatic assembly machine is not essential, the present invention has proven to be both efiicient and economical.

We claim:

1. An applicating device for container carrier members of the type comprising at least a pair of container accommodating openings in a sheet of stretchable material with a connecting area of the sheet material between the openings, said device including a stationary base section, horizontally reciprocable sections associated with and shiftable with respect to said stationary base section, and a plurality of opposed stretcher elements carried by and projecting outwardly from said reciprocable sections, and actuating means for effecting movement of said reciprocable sections from initial inner positions with the stretcher elements spaced apart a predetermined distance, to enter the sheet material openings and then through a working stroke to outer positions with the stretcher elements engaged with marginal portions of the sheet material around the openings to stretch and enlarge the openings outwardly from the sheet material connecting area for telescopic association therewith of a complementally shaped container.

2. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating means includes manually engageable means for controlling the reciprocation of said shiftable sections.

3. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means projecting outwardly from said reciprocable sections comprises a plurality of pinlike elements arranged in predetermined spaced relation.

4. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said reciprocable sections is shiftable independently.

5. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided intermediate said reciprocable sections for supporting the underside of an associated stretchable carrier member.

6. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reciprocable sections include laterally shiftable bar members, and the elements engageable with a work sheet project outwardly from and are supported by said bars.

7. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the stationary base is elongate and the reciprocable sections include members adjacently traversing said base.

8. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 6, wherein said actuating means include horizontally and longitudinally shiftable elongate members connected with said laterally shiftable bar members, the outwardly extending elements being supported by said bar members.

9. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided for maintaining said reciprocable sections in predetermined spaced relation.-

10. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 2, wherein said manually engageable means is pivotally supported by said base section.

11. An applicating device for container carrier member as set forth in claim 2, wherein said manually engageable means include pivotal handles and linkage means coupling each of said handles with a companion reciprocable section.

12. The method of assembling at least a pair of containers with a carrier comprising a sheet of stretchable material provided with at least a pair of openings having a contiguous area therebetween and with the openings having an area normally less than the area of one end of the containers to be received thereby, including the steps of horizontally positioning said sheet, engaging the margin of one of said openings of a pair of openings generally opposite from the contiguous areas between said pair of openings, and simultaneously engaging the other of said openings on a margin generally opposite from said contiguous area between said openings, supporting said contiguous area against downward movement, moving the engagement of said margins of said pair of openings in opposite directions to stretch and thereby change the shape of said openings while supporting said contiguous area, and then manually downwardly inserting said one end of one of said containers in one of said openings of said pair of openings, and manually inserting said one end of another of said containers in the other of said openings of said pair of openings.

13. The method of claim 12 as applied to a sheet of stretchable material having a plurality of pairs of openings, and in which the plurality of pairs of openings are simultaneously stretched to shapes for receiving the containers.

14. The method of claim 12 in which margins of the openings are engaged at spaced-apart positions which are remote from the contiguous area of the sheet material.

* l IIK l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORREQTION Patent No. 3 628 305 Dated December 21, 1971 Inventor(s) Ronald C. Owen and Robert J. Jurin It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 2, line 60, after "spaced" insert -portions of the margin 16 of each opening 14. The sheet-- Col, 3, line 38, change "303-30" to --30a-30 Signed and sealed this 11th day of July 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD I-I.FLETCHE1R, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) UsCOMM-DC 60376-P6Q u.s sovsmmzm FRINTING OFFICE: 1969 0-366-334 

1. An applicating device for container carrier members of the type comprising at least a pair of container accommodating openings in a sheet of stretchable material with a connecting area of the sheet material between the openings, said device including a stationary base section, horizontally reciprocable sections associated with and shiftable with respect to said stationary base section, and a plurality of opposed stretcher elements carried by and projecting outwardly from said reciprocable sections, and actuating means for effecting movement of said reciprocable sections from initial inner positions with the stretcher elements spaced apart a predetermined distance to enter the sheet material openings and then through a working stroke to outer positions with the stretcher elements engaged with marginal portions of the sheet material around the openings to stretch and enlarge the openings outwardly from the sheet material connecting area for telescopic association therewith of a complementally shaped container.
 2. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating means includes manually engageable means for controlling the reciprocation of said shiftable sections.
 3. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means projecting outwardly from said reciprocable sections comprises a plurality of pinlike elements arranged in predetermined spaced relation.
 4. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said reciprocable sections is shiftable independently.
 5. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided intermediate said reciprocable sections for supporting the underside of an associated stretchable carrier member.
 6. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reciprocable sections include laterally shiftable bar members, and the elements engageable with a work sheet project outwardly from and are supported by said bars.
 7. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the stationary base is elongate and the reciprocable sections include members adjacently traversing said base.
 8. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 6, wherein said actuating means include horizontally and longitudinally shiftable elongate members connected with said laterally shiftable bar members, the outwardly extending elements being supported by said bar members.
 9. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided for maintaining said reciprocable sections in predetermined spaced relation.
 10. An applicating device for container carrier members as set forth in claim 2, wherein said manually engageable means is pivotally supported by said base section.
 11. An applicating device for container carrier member as set forth in claim 2, wherein said manually engageable means include pivotal handles and linkage means coupling each of said handles with a companion reciprocable section.
 12. The method of assembling at least a pair of containers with a carrier comprising a sheet of stretchable material provided with at least a pair of openings having a contiguous area therebetween and with the openings having an area normally less than the area of one end of the containers to be received thereby, including the steps of horizontally positioning said sheet, engaging the margin of one of said openings of a pair of openings generally opposite from the contiguous areas between said pair of openings, and simultaneously engaging the other of said openings on a margin generally opposite from said contiguous area between said openings, supporting said contiguous area against downward movement, moving the engagement of said margins of said pair of openings in opposite directions to stretch and thereby change the shape of said openings while supporting said contiguous area, and then manually downwardly inserting said one end of one of said containers in one of said openings of said pair of openings, and manually inserting said one end of another of said containers in the other of said openings of said pair of openings.
 13. The method of claim 12 as applied to a sheet of stretchable material having a plurality of pairs of openings, and in which the plurality of pairs of openings are simultaneously stretched to shapes for receiving the containers.
 14. The method of claim 12 in which margins of the openings are engaged at spaced-apart positions which are remote from the contiguous area of the sheet material. 